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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29160618">Bright Insanity</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/paopusky/pseuds/paopusky'>paopusky</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Persona 5, Persona Series</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Akechi Goro Lives, Akechi Goro Needs a Hug, Akechi Goro is Bad at Feelings, Akechi POV, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Canon Compliant, Character Death, Everyone Needs Therapy, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Pining, akechi swears. they all swear. theyre fucking teenagers, but not really, i have Plans but it will spoil so I will add once I get to it. k thanks :), sad emotions, up until the kiss &amp; third semester</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 10:33:31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,953</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29160618</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/paopusky/pseuds/paopusky</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“Akechi didn’t think he could ever look into those eyes and not feel that rush, even if he didn’t know who he was. Even if he was in another life, another world, another time. Joker would still burn his way into his mind. It was fate, he liked to think.”</p>
<p>Akechi PoV. Canon compliant up until the boiler room. Major Royal elements.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Akechi Goro/Amamiya Ren, Akechi Goro/Persona 5 Protagonist</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Bright Insanity</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I originally wrote part of this years ago when I first played Persona 5 and had Feelings. Now I’m still having feelings with these two idiots, &amp; guess I feel like writing them, so have the start of a series I never planned to create. </p>
<p>I really love twisted characters like Akechi but I find them super hard to write so i’m trying. I just give them too many feelings :) it’s a mess. enjoy akechi with Feelings. &amp; happy 2/2 u gay bastards</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The Phantom Thieves. A mystery he could not solve. Worming its way into his veins, tugging at his thoughts, the allure of the unknown, the excitement, the <em> thrill </em>of the chase. </p>
<p>The leader, especially, burnt its way into his obsessed mind. </p>
<p>He saw them first, clumsy and unprepared, in Kamoshida’s disgustingly bright castle. A lowlife pervert with no real importance to society. A waste of attention, really. It was only by chance he found himself bored and aimless, for once, and decided to take his frustrations out on the shadows.</p>
<p>When Akechi wasn’t working on cases he was usually browsing the various scapes, unknowing what exactly he was looking for. Yet when he caught a glimpse of those dark, endless black abyss of eyes belonging to a confused schoolboy, wandering into a world quite unfamiliar, he had to know more. How he’d even managed to stumble into the Palace in the first place, never mind keeping his cool throughout.</p>
<p>That thought alone made Akechi seethe. Flashes of the memories— <em> cold, dark, pain— </em>made him clench his hand into a fist, the pressure so hard his nails broke the skin. </p>
<p>(<em>h</em><em>ow dare he)</em></p>
<p>His persona, summoned not long after he’d stumbled into the world of palaces, was deadly. Alluring. Very reminiscent of its owner. </p>
<p>(<em>nothing in life ever came that easy</em>)</p>
<p><em> Arsené. </em>He spoke it’s name like it was his friend, his very soul. Like hiding the very existence of his Persona was useless, it’s magnitude too powerful to be contained. Quite ironic, as the boy’s form began to change, emerged as a threat to the owner of the place. A thief clad in black, one with the darkness. </p>
<p>(<em>how similar, in so many ways</em>)</p>
<p>Kamoshida was angry, and it was easily seen. Within a second Akechi’s own disguise, a black and purple suit of wispy darkness and a spiked crow mask concealing whatever malice might have been shown, came into view. Seemed the boy liked a challenge. </p>
<p>The stupid cat he’d encountered appeared to have a Persona too, though it’s aura was a dull spark compared to the bright fire that was the boy’s. It was strange. He seemed out of place, in a way Akechi couldn’t put his finger on it. </p>
<p>When the masked stranger began to look around a bit <em> too much, </em>a look of unease to himself, did Akechi slip out of the Palace quietly. He couldn’t risk being spotted, even if none of the imbeciles could ever connect the dots. </p>
<p>Every little risk had to be accounted for. </p>
<p>(<em>and yet) </em></p>
<p>
  <em> (he couldn’t stay away) </em>
</p>
<p><em> Ryuji, </em> the blonde friend who seemed to cling to the black eyed boy like a <em> leech. </em> The cat seemed to dislike him too. Annoying. When his Persona awakened it was even more of an annoyance. <em> He </em>would certainly keep him around now, especially with his inexperience. Even if every word that spurted from his mouth was pointless. </p>
<p>(<em>the boy was a flame) </em></p>
<p><em> Ann. </em>The skimpy girl had bite, and at least she was more tolerable than the blond lackey. Though her outfit left nothing to the imagination. The sight made him cringe. Her Persona, even if it had a spark, was a speck of power compared. Akechi had never seen anything like it.</p>
<p>(<em>and he was getting too close) </em></p>
<p>Still, no mention of <em> his </em> name. Even back in the real world, surrounded by civilians, case after case after case, his fingers began to twitch, <em> craving, </em> wanting to see the boy filled with mystery and power, <em> something </em> about him was just begging to be found. Begging to be <em> taken.  </em></p>
<p>The black eyes were nowhere to be found amongst the crowds. It was too risky to directly follow them out of the Palace and be spotted as his civilian self. </p>
<p>Days passed to weeks. Kamoshida was nowhere to be found, his mind no longer accessible. Only the days following did he realise why. </p>
<p>
  <em> The Phantom Thieves of Hearts. </em>
</p>
<p>A card appeared in Shujin Academy not long after the four began their search, threatening to ‘Take his Heart’ and distorted desires. And then he was gone. </p>
<p>Completely. </p>
<p>Gone.</p>
<p>But still alive.</p>
<p>Unlike Akechi’s other conquests, Kamoshida never died, or had a mental shutdown. He <em> repented. Apologised.  </em></p>
<p>It was sickening. But it was something he never knew was possible, something that made him hesitate for a split moment on his future shutdown escapades. Oh, only for a sweet second. </p>
<p>
  <em> (he loved to hear them beg for their lives) </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em> (too much) </em>
</p>
<p>From the shadows one day— inside the Palace, he could hide as well as the shadows themselves— he swore he felt eyes on him, but the boy never once looked his way. Akechi never averted his gaze, never saw anything but a flicker of awareness before it fell. </p>
<p>He felt emotions stir, deep inside, at the sight of his target, the emotions the boy never <em> tried </em>to hide, a mirror opposite to Akechi’s own. What stirred inside him he never could quite place. </p>
<p>(<em>it was loki, had to be) </em></p>
<p>He dreamt of fresh blood coating his blade, the light dying from the eyes he knew were a black with depths he’d never uncover. </p>
<p>That was it.</p>
<p>Loki was <em> craving </em>a conquest. It gave him motive, something to get his hands dirty, donning his black mask and bringing death alongside it. Obliterating any shadows that came his way with a scream so feral it would have shocked anyone else. Not him. Not anymore.</p>
<p>(<em>it wasn’t) </em></p>
<p>—</p>
<p>The upcoming months had him pondering. <em> Too early. </em> He wanted to make his presence known, to be able to <em> meet </em> the boy who had enraptured him so. None of his victims… none of his <em> targets </em> so far had felt like such a rush of <em> excitement </em>to what lay ahead. </p>
<p>He had to see him. Had to know <em> why </em>he, of all people, had a Persona. One that was so powerful. One that he could feel Loki want to gravitate towards.</p>
<p>Find out why he commanded his attention so.</p>
<p>But he couldn’t, not yet, not when the Persona users were still tripping over their own feet, coming to sense with the world around them. He was only just beginning to make a name for himself, <em> the great detective. </em> Akechi would hear snippets, once in a while, about the <em> Phantom Thieves </em>and what the public’s useless opinions were about them. </p>
<p>It was when Yusuke Kitagawa, a student of Madarame’s, began to tag along with the group that he decided he needed to meet Joker. </p>
<p>He knew his name, now. The others weren’t important, but he <em> found </em> him. Joker, who he’d only come across in Palaces, unlike the others who’d <em> always </em>show up in their civilian forms first. He knew them all by passing, or vague knowledge, unlike his raven haired boy.</p>
<p>He was <em>Ren, Ren Amamiya, </em>a quiet, unassuming boy with a previous charge against none other than <em>Shido</em>. It barely took minutes to uncover the trails they’d tried to cover up, connecting the politician to this poor, poor boy.</p>
<p>Fate, it seemed, had a sense of humour. Had the boy not been charged, he never would have been put under Sojiro Sakura’s care, living in his shop, which Akechi began to frequent as soon as he knew, but never talk… Of course, he just had to wait for his prime opportunity. His fingers began to twitch, <em> annoyance </em>apparent the longer he spent without a word, without a hello. </p>
<p>
  <em> Excuse me, I couldn’t help but notice your uniforms- </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em> I happened to be passing by- </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em> (liar, dirty, dirty liar) </em>
</p>
<p>One of Akechi’s interviews happened to air on the small television while he was sipping his coffee one day. A prime opportunity, as the public spoke about nothing but <em>them. </em>Joker didn’t speak a word, not while Akechi implanted his doubt, just watched with his intense stare, like he <em>saw </em>underneath the confident lies he spun on a daily basis. Akechi was a fraud, of course, practically killing his way to fame. If someone disagreed, they didn’t have a place in his future.</p>
<p>Joker, however, he could see in his future, if even to end in his death. </p>
<p>(<em>his first words) </em></p>
<p>
  <em> See you tomorrow. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em> (not a goodbye, not yet) </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em> Tomorrow, Detective Prince. </em>
</p>
<p>Akechi would savour every look, even if Joker didn’t believe the charmed words.</p>
<p>—</p>
<p>He knew it was futile. He was born from shadows, from darkness, from a deep rooted evil that worked its way into people’s souls. Yet Amamiya was the light, blindingly so, even if it repulsed Akechi straight to his core. Polar opposites.</p>
<p>He could feel his seconds tick away. Akechi’s time was running out, and either his sanity or his foes would be the cause. Something, hidden in the back of his mind, possibly what was left of his conscience, or common sense, knew he couldn’t go along like this forever, that <em> good </em>would win. But then he’d realise this wasn’t a fairy tale, wasn’t a story cooked up by a hopeless romantic wishing for a better life. Villains did win, he couldn’t be redeemed, wouldn’t be. </p>
<p>That all came to head when the Phantom Thieves were numerous, a force to be reckoned with. And for a brief moment, he was one of them. </p>
<p>(<em>robin hood) </em></p>
<p>He had to hold back his snarls every time he finished a shadow. Had to hold back the darkness that wanted to escape so, so badly. </p>
<p>
  <em> (a false hero) </em>
</p>
<p>And then they were face to face. Akechi let his mask fall, something he so desperately wanted to do. Had wanted to for a while. </p>
<p>To savour Amamiya’s face before he drew his gun. To feel the rush of Loki, even if his Persona was shut tight away. </p>
<p>Akechi could always feel Loki, even outside the palace. A persistent, lingering weight against his lungs, an extra beat to his heart. He’d never admitted that to anyone. There were a lot of things he’d never admitted to anyone.</p>
<p>
  <em> (and how he wished to share all of his secrets with Ren) </em>
</p>
<p>To his credit, Amamiya barely flinched when his gun surfaced. Just watched, with those dark eyes, slightly widened in the only indication of fear that could be found.</p>
<p>(<em>and this was his last chance, but he couldn’t make his lips work) </em></p>
<p>(<em>and now he was thinking of lips) </em></p>
<p>
  <em> (ren’s, to be precise) </em>
</p>
<p>It was that slight moment of his resolve faltering that made him shoot. He planned to drag it out, to savour it. Give Loki what always drummed in his soul. </p>
<p>It was over within seconds. </p>
<p>Akechi didn’t linger at the scene. </p>
<p>And it wasn’t pleasure he found at the sight of Amamiya’s body. </p>
<p>—</p>
<p>Akechi laid awake.</p>
<p>It’s all he did, most nights.</p>
<p>
  <em> I hate you. </em>
</p>
<p>He could’ve gotten caught, that day they escaped to Mementos. So, so easily. How could Amamiya act like they were teammates after their duel, after all they’d been through?</p>
<p>A duel. </p>
<p>A duel they’d never get to have, thanks to Akechi. Amamiya died with his glove, and that’s where it would stay.</p>
<p>Now he was just left with a bitter aftertaste, a lingering longing that not even fighting the shadows could dissipate. </p>
<p>—</p>
<p>He was alive. </p>
<p>
  <em> (alive alive alive) </em>
</p>
<p>Akechi had noticed something awry with Shido and knew he had to investigate. Maybe the rest of the Thieves had decided to infiltrate after all, had figured out the bigger target all along. Maybe, just maybe, someone <em> else </em>had taken over as leader. </p>
<p>But when he saw Joker, everything just fell away in one fell swoop. Loki— was it Loki, or was it <em> him?— </em>almost thrummed against his skin, a relief that was painful in its intensity.</p>
<p>Akechi wanted to savour the moment before he had to act. He watched as they blasted through the Palace, having no problems with the countless shadows they dealt with. Amamiya seemed… strange. He moved with a renewed sense of urgency, a sharp look to his eyes. </p>
<p>Did he know what awaited the culmination of the Palace? Did he expect Akechi to make his appearance?</p>
<p>(<em>all good things must end) </em></p>
<p>He wanted to leave. To let them finish Shido and disappear.</p>
<p>
  <em> (and he was far from good) </em>
</p>
<p>But he knew things had to end. Bloodshed for one of them. Shido’s reign simply wouldn’t stop with the change of his heart. </p>
<p>So he shifted to Robin Hood, feeling his attire change as well. No longer a figment of the shadows. </p>
<p>Akechi left his refuge and jumped below, landing opposite to the Thieves. Including Amamiya in all his glory. He didn’t seem shocked at his appearance. The rest did, however.</p>
<p>The words that fell out of his mouth felt like a disjointed confession.</p>
<p>
  <em> Rivals, maybe even friends.  </em>
</p>
<p>Is that what he wanted? He didn’t know any more. </p>
<p>Did he believe the words he spoke? Each piece of what he wanted began to fall, until he truly knew what he had to do. In the depths, he knew he wasn’t walking away from this fight.</p>
<p>(<em>how fitting) </em></p>
<p>When he fully revealed Loki, his outfit changing alongside his wishes, he felt the rush of power against his fingertips and almost lost himself in the moment. Utter destruction left nothing much behind. </p>
<p>He didn’t have to think when he was like this.</p>
<p>Didn’t have to process.</p>
<p>(<em>to be destroyed by him) </em></p>
<p>Amamiya was the only one to truly look at him. Even as they fought, spells blasting through their makeshift arena, he looked. And didn’t recoil. </p>
<p>Akechi could feel Loki hesitate with each attack that pressed on. He responded with more anger, more <em> pain, </em>until he felt his health whittling away and realised—</p>
<p>Loki was still him. And Loki didn’t want this.</p>
<p>
  <em> (how stupid) </em>
</p>
<p>He laughed. A deep, pitiful laugh. </p>
<p>“This is the end,” he whispered. “I’m done for.”</p>
<p>Loki appeared to agree. With that, he felt whatever resolve slip away. His Persona shimmered away, the last remnants of his rebellion gone with it.</p>
<p>He found the words to speak. “I’ve succeeded until now all by myself.” </p>
<p>(<em>secrets spilling) </em></p>
<p>He could do nothing as the attacks began to chip away at what he had left. It was a strange feeling, to no longer <em> want </em>to fight. </p>
<p>Fight was all he had left.</p>
<p>“I don’t need teammates…” He couldn’t catch his breath. “I don’t.”</p>
<p>Amamiya’s gaze was full of pity. Usually, he’d want to rip that disgusting look straight off his face. Now he could do nothing but stare on his knees, barely holding himself upright.</p>
<p>The attacks stopped. Personas vanished. Akechi could do nothing but <em> stare </em>as they began to walk closer. </p>
<p>He didn’t fear death. Death would be a mercy for someone like him. </p>
<p>
  <em> (more truths) </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em> (more lies) </em>
</p>
<p>Akechi almost felt the words slip his lips. <em> They’d accept him. </em>Take down Shido… together. </p>
<p><em> No, no, no, </em> he felt the words stir. <em> He had to do it alone. He’d taken the dark depths of loneliness and despair and honed it into a weapon sharp enough to cut through anything. Together didn’t exist for him.  </em></p>
<p>Maybe—</p>
<p>A cold sensation settled into his spine. He didn’t have to turn to know who had appeared behind him. </p>
<p>
  <em> Shido, that crafty bastard.  </em>
</p>
<p>His first thought, once his mirror twin began to talk, was that he couldn’t let Amamiya get hurt. Loki agreed with a low growl, even if Akechi was the only one that could hear it. </p>
<p>The second? He should have expected it. He overlooked something so large because of his plot for revenge. And now? It all seemed so….</p>
<p>Insignificant. He didn’t care about changing the world, taking down corrupt politicians and evildoers. But he couldn’t deny that the Thieves deserved their place in the world much more than he did.</p>
<p>Akechi knew what he had to do. </p>
<p>And so, he stood, and stepped closer to Amamiya. Almost as if by gravity, the other man stepped forward, too. </p>
<p>A fleeting touch, a pull of his coat, lips pressed harsh against the others. Warmth, Joker was so <em> warm, </em>a contrast to how cold his lungs felt, the breath he couldn’t seem to get in. The pair of lips opposing his own barely got to reciprocate before he pulled back, his gun - and arm, extended, and with a flash of a bullet, and a shove that extended the last of his energy, the slam of a divide pressed between the two. A weight settled on his chest, hearing the pained, heavy cries of Joker on the other side, banging against the wall in an action so painfully futile. </p>
<p>Because he <em> was </em> darkness. He was born from the souls that could never repent, wouldn’t want to. Akechi didn’t get his happy ending. </p>
<p>The gun was aimed at himself. A mirror, a smile, a <em> bang. </em>The wound was weeping from his forehead, and so was his double. </p>
<p>It would never be simple. He fell to the floor, body falling away piece by piece. It only made sense as he died, he’d just disappear. He could feel himself crumbling away with his mind, Joker’s cries still stabbing into the wound repeatedly. </p>
<p>(<em>i’m sorry) </em></p>
<p>His life would never have been simple. Had the two met under different circumstances, they might have been something. Something better.</p>
<p>(<em>but i’m not, really) </em></p>
<p>Probably not. Akechi didn’t think he could ever look into those eyes and not feel that rush, even if he didn’t know who he was. Even if he was in another life, another world, another time. Joker would still burn his way into his mind. It was fate, he liked to think. Die saving the only man he ever truly loved. </p>
<p>That was it, wasn’t it? What else could it be, when everything else seemed so pointless?</p>
<p>Akechi wouldn’t want it to be simple. He didn’t do simplicity.</p>
<p>—</p>
<p>And then he awoke. </p>
<p> </p>
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